Here’s why Citizens Bank Park doesn’t have a dedicated hoagie place

Ah, the humble hoagie. Some meat, some cheese, a good roll, maybe a few toppings and condiments — it’s as American as apple pie.

Or maybe baseball. But, if you’ve been to Citizens Bank Park for a Phillies game recently and had a hankering for one, you probably already know where this is going.

The home of the Phillies, located deep in South Philly, the heart of hoagie country, has tons of food options. Cheesesteaks, yes. Crab fries? Sure. Of course, there are soft pretzels. Even roast pork sandwiches make an appearance.

Conspicuously lacking from the culinary lineup these days, though, is any kind of hoagie. Which may strike some baseball fans as strange, considering how quintessentially Philly that simple sandwich is — not to mention that Hog Island, the area that legend has it gave the hoagie its name, is only a few miles as the crow flies from Citizens Bank Park.

So, what gives? That’s what one reader asked through Curious Philly, The Inquirer’s repository for your questions about the Philadelphia region.

Well, just like the Phillies some seasons, game-goers just don’t want it bad enough.

» ASK US: Have something you’re wondering about the Philly region? Submit your Curious Philly question here.

Citizens Bank Park has no dedicated hoagie location. But it wasn’t always this way.

The ballpark has partnered with sandwich spots like Primo Hoagies and Planet Hoagie — in the former’s case, as recently as 2017 — to bring a hoagie shop to the Bank’s list of food stands. Primo’s, in fact, is still a partner with the Phillies, but does not have a ballpark location.

In its more lunch meaty days, Citizens Bank Park actually used to sling hoagies out of a location on Ashburn Alley next to Tony Luke’s that now houses a P.J. Whelihan’s, which has quickly become one of the most popular brands in the stadium, according to a rep for Aramark, which oversees concessions there.

When figuring out vendors and food offerings each season, ballpark planners rely on data analytics and customer feedback to determine fan preferences and make decisions. And, as it turns out, there isn’t all that much demand for an in-house hoagie location — at least not in comparison to vendors and items already available at the ballpark.

“A dedicated location is not available because we have seen a greater demand for the items currently offered in the ballpark,” a rep said. “We are always open to suggestions and are always looking to hit a home run with the food at Citizens Bank Park.”

So, basically, we may love hoagies — but not that much. Instead, our baseball-related appetites are sated by offerings from popular ballpark food stands, including Manco & Manco Pizza, Shake Shack, Federal Donuts, Chickie’s & Pete’s, Tony Luke’s, and dozens of others.

If you really want a hoagie, you’re not out of luck. Fans heading to Citizens have always been able to bring their own food into the ballpark — including hoagies.

There are a few stipulations, such as prohibitions on items like most coolers, as well as open containers and other vessels. Large bags such as backpacks also aren’t allowed, but you can bring in clutch purses, fanny packs, medical bags, drawstring bags, clear or solid tote bags, and diaper bags.

So, that’s more than enough ways to get your own hoagie into the ballpark. Which shouldn’t be too hard, considering you’re a stone’s throw away from tons of world-class hoagie shops. After all, this is South Philly.

Other stadiums, however, have experimented with banning outside food — namely, Lincoln Financial Field. In 2003, the Eagles banned outside food in what team officials called a security measure taken in response to the 9 / 11 terror attack — two years after the fact.

Dubbed “Hoagiegate” by The Inquirer and Daily News, that ban prompted massive public backlash that accused the team of attempting to artificially increase sales at its stadium concession stands. The ban lasted about a month before the team walked it back, and fans were once again able to bring their own food.

Including hoagies.